New York Post: Some 3,400 innocent Iranian dissidents now living in a camp in Iraq are in imminent danger of being slaughtered. These men, women and children — members of Mujahedin-e Khalq, or People’s Mujahedin, a longtime Iranian opposition movement — trusted America’s promise to protect them. But the gradual US withdrawal from Iraq leaves that promise in doubt.
Abandoned allies?
ANALYSIS-India, Iran buy time to find other oil partners
Reuters: India and Iran’s mechanism to end a seven-month-old stalemate over oil payments could keep U.S. pressure at bay long enough for the two countries to work out a long-term separation that would change oil routes through Asia and the Middle East.
Iran-Turkey trade soars by 72%
Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Aug. 03 – Bilateral trade between Iran and Turkey reached $7.762 billion for the first half of 2011, up from $4.499 billion for the same period in 2010, a rise of more than 72 percent.
Iran parliament approves Qasemi as oil minister
Reuters: Iran’s parliament approved President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s candidate as oil minister on Wednesday, putting a military commander who is under international sanctions in charge of production in the world’s fifth biggest crude exporter.
Exclusive: Sanctions trap billions of Iran petrodollars in Korea
Reuters: Iran could have nearly $5 billion of cash trapped in South Korea by the end of the year as sanctions stop it repatriating money from oil sales, Korean government sources with direct knowledge of the situation told Reuters on Wednesday.
Iran parliament set to approve new oil minister
Reuters: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s candidate to be Iran’s new oil minister looked set to win a vote of confidence on Wednesday, easing a power struggle between the president and a hostile parliament.
To punish Iran, seize its embassy
New York Times: Last week, the Treasury Department accused the Iranian government of aiding Al Qaeda and blacklisted six Qaeda operatives for funneling money through Iran. Although Treasury’s announcement, coupled with existing sanctions, has put some pressure on Tehran, much more can be done. Indeed, the White House should take action in its own backyard.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, ‘moderate’
Wall Street Journal Europe: Ayatollah Khamenei’s political spectacle continues to fool Western observers.
Time for Iran to show mercy and free two U.S. hikers
Washington Post – Editorial: Two years ago, American hikers Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, both 29, were arrested by Iranian officials along the Iraqi border. They have been jailed ever since in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison.
Delay on Iraq decision threatens smooth withdrawal
AP: Iraq’s indecision on whether to ask American forces to stay beyond the end of the year is pushing the U.S. close to the point where a smooth, safe troop withdrawal will be jeopardized, the top U.S. military officer said Monday as he arrived in the country.
